Lessons in the Signs of Love
by moonswirl
Summary: Gleekathon, day ninety-four: Mercedes and James are growing closer, sharing in language and in music.


_Started my daily ficlets to make the hiatus pass, then decided to keep going with a second cycle, and then a third and fourth cycle. Now here comes cycle 5!_

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**"Lessons in the signs of love"  
Mercedes/James (OC)  
Sequel to "It's a voice"**

They had become one another's test-audience, critic, and teacher with practicing songs. It had started simply enough. James had shown up early for another date.

They hated the fact that the distance prevented them seeing each other as often as they might want to. James would develop a habit of showing up early, which he'd just claim was due to his being too anxious to see her.

When he arrived, she was singing along as she got ready. She threw him a smile, still singing. He watched her in the mirror, read her lips and soon recognized the song. Leaning against the door, he absently signed along. Mercedes saw him and chuckled. He smiled back. Walking up to him, she nodded.

"You need to teach me how to do that." He smiled and nodded back.

Since their first kiss, things had been going very well. Mercedes woke up every morning fearing she'd find it was all a dream. Being with him, it made her feel more confident, happy… In most parts of her life, she was as unflappable as they came. She'd be fierce, mighty… But with boys, she was on a whole other plane… she'd been burned too many times… James was as cool as they came, no burn.

She was still scared she'd mess it up though, like he'd see her for the girl she'd been before him.

He'd started showing her some signs, here and there. She took them in, like choreography. Eventually he'd gotten the idea in him to start sending her video lessons, filmed via webcam. He'd go on, signing along to whatever song she performed. It did help for her to put it all in context. The language was not what she'd expected it to be. It was a challenge, but it didn't scare her one bit. It was all worth it for James. She liked being part of his world. It didn't matter how differently their songs were performed. Deep down, it all came from the same place, from a love of performance, of music.

One day, he'd invited her to visit his school. She wasn't sure how it would all go, but she gladly accepted. He'd come and seen her school, now she'd get to see his. She wasn't too keen on seeing their Glee Club director, knowing his part in the sectionals fiasco, but that was just one wrinkle.

When she'd gone, she'd also met up with another of the Glee Club members who'd come to McKinley. Her name was Bianca, and she mostly welcomed Mercedes' presence. She couldn't blame her for being apprehensive after their schools' history together. But James had cleared the air, even recruiting Bianca to help Mercedes with her ASL lessons, as he explained she was a tutor.

Just as he was helping her with sign language, she'd started to help him too. After watching him practice one day, she'd offered to help him be more expressive. He accepted the offer.

They stood side by side, facing the mirror, as Mercedes turned on the music, looking at him, his reflection. "Go for it," she nodded. He smirked, facing the mirror and getting into show mode. She could see him concentrate, waiting for his cue before starting.

When James performed, he was just filled with this joy… she knew what it felt like – that was part of what had drawn her to him. They'd all gone on thinking of 'the deaf school glee club' as just nothing to concern themselves with, no 'voice.' James had gone and proven them, proven her wrong… they all had.

She watched his performance, channelled her inner Schuester as she followed him along. She used finger pointing and some of the signs she knew to direct him, show him what she could to help him. They had fun. By the end of it, they were just laughing along. James wrapped his arms around her shoulders, giving her a squeeze… It had better not have been a dream.

She just had to let that confidence she had in the rest of her life and copy it into this part of it. It was like the weak link in who she was, when it shouldn't be. She deserved to be happy, and James certainly brought that for her. It wouldn't be too much to go after this change.

THE END


End file.
